How to Record Video From Your Webcam

Take advantage of the native Camera app on your Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 computers to record video directly from your webcam. Videos captured with the Camera app are automatically stored in the Camera Roll folder on your PC so that you can easily watch and edit them.

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Instructions

1

Click the “Camera” tile on the Window Start screen to launch the Camera app. You can also open the Camera via the Search charm. Move your mouse to the top-right corner of your screen, enter “Camera” in search field and then click “Camera” on the search results.

2

Point your mouse to the bottom-right corner of your screen, select “Settings” and then choose “Options” to customize the video-recording settings. Here you can customize a variety of options, including video quality, lighting and stabilization.

3

Exit the Options screen and click the “Video” button to start recording video from your webcam.

4

Click the “Stop” button on Windows 8.1 computers to stop recording. On Windows 8 computers, click the “Video” button again to stop recording.

Tips & Warnings

Once you've recorded a video, click the arrow on the left side of your screen to view it. You can also view videos by right-clicking anywhere in the Camera app and selecting “Camera Roll. You're not limited to the Camera app when it comes to viewing videos. Click the “Pictures” folder in File Explorer and select “Camera Roll” to view videos and pictures taken with your webcam. If you’re using OneDrive, click the “Camera Roll” folder to view its contents.

To edit the length of a video you’ve taken, click the arrow on the left side of the Camera app until you locate the video you want to edit. Right-click the video and select “Trim.” Drag the handles left or right to select where you want the video to start and finish. Click “Save a copy” when you are finished editing.

To delete a video clip, press the arrow button on the left of the screen until you locate the clip, right-click it and select “Delete.”

Enabling the OneDrive feature for the Camera Roll automatically backs up photos and videos online. This feature is handy both for protecting against data loss and for accessing your videos when you're not at your computer. To enable OneDrive for your Camera Roll, point your mouse to the bottom-right corner of your screen, click “Settings” and then select “Change PC Settings.” Choose “OneDrive,” click “Camera Roll” and configure how you want OneDrive to back up your photos and videos.

The Camera app can be set up to encode location data into your photos and videos. While this can be a handy tool, some consider it an invasion of privacy. To turn off location recording, load the Camera app, move your mouse to the lower-right corner of your screen, click “Settings” and then select “Options.” Toggle the “Location Info” switch to the Off position.